EDSidekick, if we didn't like disaster, we probably wouldn't be Casualty fans! It shows how sad the current storylines are when Ethan being conned is escapism. I'm glad you like Cal trying to look after everybody - I needed to give him something to do! Thank you for your review.

Bonnie Sveen Fan, it probably won't be long till Ethan finds out. Taylor's already taken his money, so if she is going to leave him, it won't be long now. Thank you for your review.

20BlueRoses, thank you for your review. I'm really glad the build-up has worked - I didn't want to tell exactly the same story with a different brother. They probably are both being used. I hate all phone calls so I can relate to Ethan too!

Tanith Panic, Connie is quite often horrible to people, but that doesn't seem to stop her from being a popular character. I like her put-downs because they're funny as well as cruel. It's hard to hate someone who makes you smile. Thank you for your review.


Ethan walked back into the ED fifteen minutes later with a mixture of happiness that Taylor had let him help; sadness that she'd been caused so much distress; and absolute terror that he was going to walk slap-bang into Connie.

His fears were realised when he saw Connie just ahead of him, talking to Rita. The conversation did not look friendly. Ethan considered ducking into the nearest cubicle, which didn't appear to be occupied, but he knew he could be stuck in there for ages and it would be needed for a patient sooner rather than later.

He walked past Connie as briskly as he could, hoping not to be noticed.

"Ethan."

"Yeah?" Ethan tried to look innocent.

"Clean the cubicle," said Connie, pointing. Then she turned and walked off.

Ethan stared at her in amazement. For a moment, he wavered, knowing he really needed to get back to his patients but not wanting to disobey Connie. At last, more of out of guilt than duty, he decided to do as he was told.

First sneaking off to see his girlfriend… then making unauthorised phone calls… now cleaning cubicles. It wasn't exactly a typical day for Dr Ethan Hardy.


Ethan emerged from the cubicle five minutes later with a mop and bucket to meet Rita's astonished gaze. "Hey," he said.

"Did Connie tell you to do that?" said Rita in disbelief.

"Yes, she did, actually," said Ethan.

Rita gently took the mop and bucket away from him. "Ethan, it's not your job. It's the cleaners' job. So leave it for the cleaners. Okay?"

"Oh, I don't mind," said Ethan, more out of politeness than because it was true.

"Well, I do!" said Rita. "The rota is ridiculous. The nurses are taking a stand and you should as well."

Ethan looked at her doubtfully. "Oh, if you think I should…"

"Definitely!" said Rita. "But not right now. I was actually looking for your brother, but I can't find him anywhere. He must be on a booty call."

Ethan was about to agree when he remembered he was no longer in a position to criticise doctors who saw their girlfriends during a shift. "I don't think he is. His girlfriend's in Manchester – you remember Honey, don't you?"

"Well, wherever he is, I can't find him," said Rita. "So you'll have to do. The police are here and they want to breathalyse Lily, but there needs to be a doctor present."

"Oh, of course," said Ethan. He really needed to be getting back to work, but he knew if he refused, Rita would have to ask Connie or Dylan and he wasn't sure they'd be very supportive. "Of course I can, Rita. I'd be delighted."

Rita gave him a funny look and took him off to find the policeman.


Ethan watched in silent sympathy as the policeman held a breathalyser to Lily's mouth. He knew that was completely ridiculous and unnecessary; that there was no way Lily would drink and drive (or even drink at all, most of the time), but the policeman didn't know Lily as well as Ethan did. Ethan knew from his own job that you sometimes had to rule out certain conditions, however much your instincts were telling you it was impossible. He'd once given a lesbian a pregnancy test simply because it was standard procedure when a woman of child-bearing age presented with certain symptoms.

He still hadn't decided whether he'd do the same thing if his patient were a nun.

When the policeman had left, Ethan closed the curtain behind him and went to Lily's side. "How are you doing?"

Lily shook her head and looked at Ethan through tear-filled eyes. "I'm finished, Ethan. It's over. It's over." She wiped her nose on her sleeve and began to sob.

Ethan shook his head helplessly. "Hey. No. I'm sure it's not over."

She looked so small and vulnerable and unhappy. Without thinking, Ethan bent down and gave her a hug. Once his arms were around her, he said nothing for a moment or two, shocked by what he'd done. He never hugged his colleagues. He was actually a bit nervous of hugs. He always had been. It was partly a fear of rejection and partly a fear of being so close to people. Yet here he was, hugging Lily.

Taylor's changed me, Ethan realised as he rubbed Lily's back. Hugging Lily was a completely different experience from hugging Taylor, but it didn't feel odd or uncomfortable or in any way wrong. It was a natural thing to do when his friend was upset.

Taylor really was wonderful. Somehow, without their even discussing it, she had helped Ethan to feel that he wasn't completely awful at comforting people. More than that: that it was all right for him to try.

Because of Taylor, he could now offer comfort to a distraught friend.

She'd changed his life. Indirectly, she'd changed Lily's life too. Without Taylor, Ethan might not even have felt able to touch Lily. Now, he honestly believed he could help her. Only in a very small way, but he could help her all the same. He could show her that he cared about her and that he was sorry about what had happened. He could show her she wasn't alone.

"Don't cry," whispered Ethan, holding Lily tightly as her arms crept around his neck. "I'm here. And if you need to talk, or if there's anything else I can do, all you have to do is ask."


Cal kept checking the staff room between patients, but it always seemed to be occupied. In the end, he went outside and phoned Honey. It was freezing and as he moved on the spot, trying to keep warm, he thought that Ethan and Taylor's love really must be special if it had allowed them to sit outside for so long in what Cal considered to be Arctic temperatures.

But he knew he'd do the same for Honey. He'd stay out here and talk for as long as she needed him to.

"Hey, Cal," said Honey. She still sounded tearful.

"Hey, baby. How are you?"

"I feel awful!" wailed Honey. "You've got to come, Cal."

"And I'm coming," said Cal soothingly. "I've booked a train ticket. We'll only have about five hours together if I'm going to get back in time for my shift tomorrow, but I'll do everything I can to help."

"Thanks, Cal," said Honey. "I'm so glad I've got you."

"And I'm glad I've got you, baby," said Cal.


"Oh, Lofty. Could you take Mr Finch to radiology, please?" said Ethan, holding out a file.

Lofty looked at him for a moment. His glance flickered over Ethan's shoulder. "Er, I think you should wait for a porter. It's not my job."

"Right," said Ethan. "Er…" He watched Lofty go and turned to look at Rita.

"He's right," said Rita. "It's not his job. He's a nurse, not a porter." She walked over to him "You know what I said to you about taking a stand against Connie? This is how we're doing it. We're not doing anything that's outside our pay grade – and you shouldn't either."

"Oh… I see…"

"But I know none of this is your fault, Ethan," said Rita, more gently. "So I'll go and find you a porter."


Cal watched Ethan working busily at the nurse's station, trying to gauge his brother's mood. However Cal put it, he had a feeling Ethan wouldn't be happy, but he knew he had to try. "I don't suppose you'd consider lending me your car for the night?"

"I'm sorry," said Ethan. "I need it. I'm going to see Taylor."

He tried to move past Cal, but Cal blocked his way. "In that case, could you… lend me some money?"

Ethan looked up with an air of resignation. To be fair, it wasn't the first time Cal had asked this recently. "What now?" he sighed.

"It's for Honey," said Cal. "Well, no. Not really for Honey. It's for me."

"I never would have guessed," said Ethan.

"I wouldn't be asking you if I wasn't desperate," said Cal.

Ethan picked up a file. "What do you need it for?"

"I'm taking the train up to see Honey tonight," explained Cal. "As I can't borrow your car."

Ethan stared in disbelief. "You are kidding."

"I'm coming back tomorrow for my shift!" said Cal defensively. "Well, unless Honey really needs me, of course."

"No! You're not kidding!" said Ethan.

"Look, I can pay it back," said Cal.

Ethan's exasperation overflowed. "Cal, it's not about the money! You're supposed to be working tomorrow. You can't just take the day off because Honey's upset."

"I probably won't take any days off," said Cal defensively. "I'll be back by morning. And don't you think that's a bit hypocritical when you've been sneaking off to see Taylor all day?"

"No!" said Ethan, as though he could hardly believe Cal was really asking. "I went to see Taylor twice for a couple of minutes. Honey's in Manchester! You probably wouldn't get there before eleven and to get back in time for your shift tomorrow, you'd have to leave at about four. Four, Caleb. You won't be in any state to work. Let's face it: we're none of us in any state to work as it is."

"Look, it's not like it's expensive or anything," said Cal. "I might even have the money, but I don't know how much it's going to cost to get my car fixed and I don't want to go over my overdraft limit. Come on, Ethan. You're my brother."

"Yes, and that's another reason why I don't want to see you in a similar situation to Lily: where you endanger someone's life because you're too exhausted to know what you're doing!" said Ethan.

"Please, Ethan?"

"No."